Gary Lineker, the renowned presenter of BBC’s flagship programme, Match Of The Day, is set to leave at the end of the current football season. This news comes as a significant development in the sports broadcasting industry.
Despite his departure from Match Of The Day, Lineker will not be entirely absent from our screens. He will continue to present the FA Cup next season and front World Cup coverage in USA, Mexico and Canada in subsequent summers. This is part of an 18-month contract extension with BBC that also includes hosting duties for MOTD Top Ten podcast and 'The Rest Is Football' podcast on BBC Sounds.
With Lineker's departure looming large over Match Of The Day - a show he has hosted since 1999 - speculation about his successor has begun. Potential candidates include Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, Jason Mohammad and Alex Scott who have all regularly presented football coverage on BBC. However, it remains uncertain whether the broadcaster will choose a replacement from its current lineup or look outside.
Behind-the-scenes negotiations
Lineker’s contract was due to expire this summer but negotiations had been ongoing since October with Alex Kay-Jelski – BBC's new director of sport – regarding an extension. Kay-Jelski joined BBC after setting up the international arm of subscription-based sport website 'The Athletic', replacing Barbara Slater who retired after serving 14 years in her role.
Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC director of sport, said:
“Gary is a world-class presenter, and we’re delighted that he’ll lead our coverage of the next World Cup and continue to lead our live coverage of the FA Cup.
“After 25 seasons Gary is stepping down from MOTD. We want to thank him for everything he has done for the show, which continues to attract millions of viewers each week. He’ll be hugely missed on the show but we’re so happy he is staying with the BBC to present live football.”
As one of highest paid presenters whose wages are declared by BBC (over £1.3m), Lineker's departure comes amidst budget cuts at the corporation which plans to shed around 500 roles this year alone. His new contract reportedly involves a "significant" salary reduction according to original reports by The Sun.
Controversies surrounding social media Use
Lineker's tenure at BBC has not been without controversy. In 2023, his criticism of the then Conservative government on social media led to a brief suspension from Match Of The Day. However, he was reinstated after fellow presenters, commentators and pundits went on strike in protest.
Beyond Match Of The Day, Lineker has been a key figure in sports broadcasting. He has been the main presenter for BBC’s coverage of England men’s team at World Cups and European Championships and hosted BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. His career also includes stints with other broadcasters such as presenting Champions League on what was then BT Sport (now TNT Sports) and working with LaLigaTV.
As we await further details about Lineker's future roles and potential successor on Match Of The Day, one thing is certain: his departure marks the end of an era for this iconic show.
